Bakery Innovation Scientist — Formulation & Enzymes

Kemin; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

401k match

Paid vacation

Tuition reimbursement

On-site fitness center

Job summary

Kemin Food Technologies is seeking an experienced Bakery Scientist to lead formulation development, ingredient evaluation, and bakery applications research. This role requires a PhD or advanced degree in a related field, extensive hands-on bakery experience, and the ability to work cross-functionally with Commercial, Marketing, Regulatory, and Quality teams.

You will design experiments, manage lab activities, and translate science into customer-ready solutions for breads, tortillas, and related

Qualifications

• PhD or master's in food science or bakery science preferred.
• 5+ years bakery formulation or R&D experience with bakery ingredients or CPG companies.
• Experience with breads, tortillas, flatbreads, cakes, snacks, or sweet goods.
• Demonstrated ability to design experiments and analyze results.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; cross-functional teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Lead research and development projects focused on bakery applications and ingredient functionality.
• Develop, optimize, and validate bakery formulations utilizing enzymes, dough conditioners, mold inhibitors, and other ingredients.
• Design and execute laboratory experiments, pilot trials, and production-scale validations.
• Evaluate ingredient interactions and impact on shelf life, texture, volume, machinability, and quality.
• Analyze experimental data and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Manage bakery lab equipment, materials inventory, and related documentation.
• Stay current on emerging bakery technologies and ingredient trends.
• Collaborate with Technical Service and Commercial teams to develop customer solutions.
• Provide technical support for customer presentations and commercialization activities.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and research documentation.
• Support new product launches and commercialization from concept to market introduction.
• Work with Regulatory, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain teams for implementation.
• 60-70% of time will be spent in the lab.

Skills

Bakery formulation

Ingredient development

Experimental design

Data analysis

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in Food Science or related

Master's in Food Science / Grain Science

Tools

Lab instruments

Statistics software

Job description

Kemin Food Technologies is seeking an experienced Bakery Scientist to lead formulation development, ingredient evaluation, and bakery applications research. This role requires a PhD or advanced degree in a related field, extensive hands-on bakery experience, and the ability to work cross-functionally with Commercial, Marketing, Regulatory, and Quality teams.

You will design experiments, manage lab activities, and translate science into customer-ready solutions for breads, tortillas, and related